Tennessee's deer harvest continues to lag significantly behind last year's record harvest after the completion of the first segment of gun season, and now appears to be on track to be one of the lowest harvests in recent years, and perhaps the lowest harvest since 1999, when 143,500 deer were harvested across the state.

In gun season, which concluded Sunday in Units A and L and on Nov. 25 in Unit B, hunters harvested a total of 57,542 deer, including 36,916 antlered bucks, 17,109 does, and 3,517 antlerless bucks, including button bucks.

That figure lags 19% behind last year's gun season harvest total of 70,997 deer, and comes despite an opening weekend that saw more deer harvested this year than the opening weekend last year (related). However, opening weekend last year featured poor weather, which helped limit the harvest somewhat.

That opening weekend increase helped gun hunters pull closer to last year's harvest than the overall 2007 deficit had been running; after the early seasons (archery, juvenile and muzzleloader), the harvest was running around 25% fewer deer this year than last.

Poor weather contributed to a decreased harvest at times. On Thanksgiving Day, which saw windy conditions and rain across much of the state, hunters harvested only 3,942 deer, some 36% fewer than Thanksgiving Day last year.

Still, the same factor that has hampered the harvest throughout the season — EHD is getting most of the blame — appeared to be the primary limiting factor once again in rifle season, as hunters reported seeing fewer deer. A mixed-up rut may also be playing a role, however. Hunters from East Tennessee to West Tennessee reported unusually delayed rutting behavior.

For the year, from the start of September's early seasons through the conclusion of gun season, hunters ave harvested 110,438 deer, 20% fewer than the same period a year ago, when 136,997 were killed.

The leading counties during the gun season were Hardeman County (2,201), Henry County (2,173), Fayette County (2,012), Giles County (1,833) and Carroll County (1,668).

Biological data indicates that the age structure of this year's harvest will be in line with the past couple of years. Of the deer checked by agency biologists at checking stations, 638 of the bucks — or 48.8% — have been yearling (1.5-year-old) deer, while 483 (37%) have been 2.5-year-old deer. Only 156 (11.9%) have been mature, 3.5-year-old deer, while 2.3% were 4.5-year-sold or older.

Muzzleloader season re-opened Monday in Units A and L, and will open Friday in Unit B. The season continues through Sunday.